Shuffleboard construction



SW00 wimp Michael J. fiherrj M. J. SHERRY SHUFFLEBOARD CONSTRUCTIONFiled Feb. 26, 1927 \r i i m I NE 9 w Q J m M v: F N a .N um Q July 19,1927.-

Patented July 19, 1927.

STATES MICHAEL J. SHERRY, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

SHUFFLEBOARD CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed February 26, 1927. Serial No. 171,352.

My present invention relates to shuffle board construction.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a shuflieboard constructionwherein transversely extending reinforcements or stiifening members areprovided of suficient stiffness and so connected to and combined withthe Wooden shuflieboard proper as to prevent warping or other transversedistortion of the shufiieboard.

It has long been recognized that the tendency to warp is the greatestdefect in the usual good quality shuttlehoards. The standard width ofshufiieboard is eighteen inches while its thickness is usually about twoinches. This relatively great width especially when the board is made ofsolid plank extending therfull width of the shutiieboard subjects theboard to warping due to the usual variations in the amount of moisturein the air according to the weather. Many of the boards furthermore areplaced in basements of clubs or other buildings where there is more thanthe usual amount of moisture which location further tends to producetransverse warping of the boards not withstanding the use of apparentlysolid supporting members or frame work for the board. My aim is toovercome the tendency of the shufileboards to warp even under the mostsevere conditions by providing a considerable number of transverselyextending re-inforcing or stiffening members engaging. the bottomsurface of the board and of suihe ,cient rigidity to hold the board fromwarping, the board and the stiifening members being so formed andconnected that the board will be absolutely held from warping by itsrigid connection to the stiffening members.

A further purpose is to provide a construction of the type mentioned ofsuch form, construction and co-operation' that said reinforcement may bereadily applied either to new boards or to old boards and tohave theparts of there-inforcing means simple and strong and economical in cost.

A further purpose is to provide a re-inforcing means and construction ofusing the same which can be readily used at the center joint of the twoplanks forminga'board. Such central joint has heretofore been one of theplaces most subject to warping and the point where warping causes thegreatest line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the middle oint portionof a shuffle board embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description it will beseen that my invention is illustrated in. combination witha'shuiiieboard proper composed of the. usual two solid thick planks 5which maybe of. a

standard width as eighteen inches and of the usual thickness, namely twoinches, and of any desired or standard length which is usually aboutthirty feet in length. The usual end trough 6 is formed by end uprights7 and end projecting cleats 8 and the usual side troughs 9 are formed bythe upright side boards 10 and bottom trough pieces 11.

Spaced about evenly along the full length ofeach of the. shufiieboardplanks 5 there are provided transversely extending T-shaped slots 12extending in from the bottom surface 13 of the shufi'leboard. ThisTeshaped slot will in practice be made by forming the upright portion 14thereof first so asto have it extend into the plank about half thethickness of the board. Then the two oppositely ex tending horizontallyarranged recesses 15 are milled out at the inner end. of the upright toform the head of the T-shaped slot mentioned. This T-shaped slot extendsthe full width of the board and its head portion is of a width andheight to snugly receive the strong rigid metal bar 16. Spaced along themiddle of the bar 16 are asuitable number of vertically arranged screwthreaded holes 17.

It will be noticed that the making of the T-shaped slots will leaveopposite the upright part of the T and below the recesses 15 two strongoppositely facing tongues 18.

These tongues extend the whole width of the board and project from theremaining solid board longitudinally of the board, that is in the lineof the grain of the wood.

Below each of these T-shaped slots there is placed and held a strongchannel bar 19. The flat base 20 of this channel bar straddles theopening in the bottom of the board made by the T-shaped slot and extendson the opposite sides thereof below the tongues 18 and the opposite webs21hr the'channel bar depend from the base and are of suiiicientthickness and depth to make the chan'nelbar ableto entirely resistany'tende-ncy of the board to warp when the adjacent section of theboard is rigidly fastened to the channel bar. 7

The channelbar and board are securely and rigidly attached to each otherby a series of headed bolts the shanks of which project up throughapertures provided in the base of the channel bar and thereafter extendup through the upright portion ll of the slot and into the alignedscrew-threaded holes 17 provided in the flat metal bar 16. It will beseen that these parts may be readily assembled in an obvious manner andthat by tightening up the bolts 22 the oppositely disposed strongtongues 18 of the plank 5 will be clamped between the bar 16 and thechannel bar 19. The two tongues 18 so clamped to the channelbar extendthe full width of the shufileboard. These tongues constitute such alarge part of thethickness of the shufiieboard and as they pro ectlengthwise or in the "grain of the board are so stiff that theshufie'board for some distan'c'e in its length each side of the channelbar is absolutely held from warping.

A suflicient number of such channel bars and other cooperating partswill be used and spaced evenly along the length of tlre'shuffieboard asto prevent warping anywhere in the board. In practice I have found thathaving such a channel bar about every twenty-two inches is sufficient,

The same metal parts which constitute the holding means will be used atthe center joint where the two planks 5 meet as shown in Fig. 3. As theends of the plank are available,'however, for making the horizontalreeesses 15 without first making the upright portion 1 1, the saidupright portion of the slot will be dispensed with and simply emailsemi-circular pockets 23 placed at opposite points in the two planks inproper position to receive therethrough the bolts 22. The

metal holding means will then be applied as already mentioned and willgrasp the tongues '18 projecting from the opposite meeting. ends of thetwo planks of the shuffleboard. It will be seen that the engaged end ofeach plank will thus be effectively kept fromwarping and furthermorethat the two meeting ends'of the planks will be kept versely of theboard and with the head'of theT intermediate'the top and bottom of theboard and leaving oppositely disposed tongues'adjacent the lower surfaceof the board a rigid metal bar in the head of said slot; a rigidreinforcing metal member engaging thebottom surface of the board be lowsaid bar and means for rigidly connect- 7 ing said bar and 'said'bottommetal member and clamping said tongues therebetween.

2. A shuflleboard construction consisting of a. wood shufileboa'rdhaving in the bottom thereof T-shaped slot extendingtransVerse Tinterniediate the top and bottom of the board and leaving oppositedisposed tongues adjacent the lower surface of the board, a "rigid metalbar inthe head of said slot, a

rigid re-inforcing metal member having stiffening depending flangesengaging the bottom surface of the boardbelow said bar and means forrigidly connecting said bar and said bottom metal member and clampingsaid tongues. therebetween.

'ly of the board andwith thehead of'the k shuilieboard constructionconsisting' of a wood shuffleboard having in the bottom thereof aT-shaped slot extending trans versely ofthe board and with thehead ofthe T intermediate the'top and-bottom of the board and leavingoppositely disposed tongues adjacent the lower surface; of the board, arigid'bar in the head of said slot,

a channel bar engaging the bottom surface of the board belowsaid slotand having its webs depending from the board and headed bolts rigidlyconnecting-saidchannel bar and said other bar and clamping. said tonguesof the board rigidly to said channel bar. I

A shuflleboard constructionconsisting of a wood shufile'board having inthe bottom thereof a plurality of spaced T-sha'ped slots extendingtransversely of the board and with the heads of the Ts intermediate. the

top and bottom of the board. andleaving at "each slot a pairofoppositely disposed tongues ad acent the lower surface of the. boardyarigid bar in thehead of each T slot, a channel bar engaging the bottomsurface of theboaidbelow' each slot and with "its flanges dependingbelow the board and screw-threaded means for rigidly connecting saidchannelbar and said other bar whereby:.a the tongues of the boardarerigidly clamped to said channel bars.

5, A shuffleboard. construction consisting of a Wood shufiileboardhaving intermediate its top and bottom surfaces a slot extendingtransversely of the board, a. rigid bar in said slot, a rigldre-inforcing metal member engaging the bottom surface of the board belowsaid bar and means for rigidly oonnecting said bar and said bottom metalmemher at a plurality of points and clamping the Wood therebetween tothe said bottom mem ber.

In Witness whereof I have aflixed my sig nature this 19th day ofFebruary, 1927.

MICHAEL J. SHERRY.

